Untouchable
by Tuli-Susi
Summary: Inspired by Animestar73's fic Once Untouchable, Always Untouchable. One sided AtobeRyo, one sided TezuRyo. Side TezuFuji


A/N: Okay, I had this sudden idea for a PoT fic, and I typed it up on my file specially reserved for these ideas (and is currently 69 pages long). Anyways, I was reading some past ones, and I re-read this one, realized that it was pretty complete and decided to post it. It was in the Summer that I wrote it (I can tell by my Author notes at the bottom, I have a habit of annotating my ideas for future reference, otherwise, it's hard to get back in the same frame of mind. Off topic…again) Anyways, I can't remember the story (shame on me, I'll go read it after this) but enjoy anyways! My – useless – rant is over!

Summary: Inspired by Animestar73's fic Once Untouchable, Always Untouchable.

One sided AtobeRyo, one sided TezuRyo. Side TezuFuji

Warning: shounen-ai and disjointed thoughts. Actually…_I'm_ not 1000 sure who's speaking/thinking in some of them… character maybe a little ooc, but who isn't when it comes to affairs of the heart?

Disclaimer: If it's inspired by a fanfic, it usually means I don't own it…

* * *

**Untouchable**

Atobe Keigo was good-looking. You could hate his guts, but you couldn't ignore that one fact. The man (teen) at the top of Hyoutei High School Tennis Club could have any girl he wanted – and some guys too. Unfortunately for all of them, he only liked one person. He had watched this person for almost two and a half years. He didn't know what to do. He didn't know when his indifference turned to interest, interest turned to like…when like turned to love. Yes, Atobe Keigo loved someone other than himself. He could watch this person for hours on end, whether they were walking, sitting, studying or sleeping. But he loved to watch them play. He had watched from both the other side of the net and the sidelines. He had watched as a spectator, an opponent, even a team-mate. His eyes, rather than follow the ball and the play of the game, would follow the body. Running, jumping, leaping, preparing, hitting and following through. All were beautiful in his eyes.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

Atobe sat down on the park bench, next to a small boy who ignored him, focusing on the game. Atobe was the first to speak as the players took a short water break between games.

"Brat"

"Monkey King."

"…what are you doing here?"

"What do you think? This is the street tennis courts. Or have you already developed Alzheimer's." Atobe frowned at that comment.

"That's not very nice you know, regardless of who you direct that comment at."

"…"

"…"

"…Sorry…" Atobe blinked in surprise and turned to look at the green-highlighted black hair beside him. "…you're right. People shouldn't joke about diseases." Atobe blinked again. "So, what are _you_ here for Monkey King? And where's your servant?"

"Kabaji?" Atobe waved a hand dismissively. "He's visiting with his relatives."

"So he does have a life outside of waiting on you hand and foot. Who knew." Atobe frowned again. At this rate he was going to get wrinkles before he turned twenty.

"You're very talkative tonight…what's wrong?" At this, the boy – teen, he reminded himself – looked up.

Puberty had finally caught up to Echizen Ryoma. His baby fat was gone, sharp cheekbones and full lips standing out in the slightly tanned face. He was taller now, but still shorter than all the other players on the High School Circuit. Not that it really mattered. He moved with a grace and ease that the Gods themselves would envy, both on and off the courts. But his best feature, as ever, were his eyes. Cat shaped orbs were sharp, reading and analyzing in an instant, seeing the invisible and deciphering the inexplicable. More gold than hazel, they still burned with a strong fire, the flame even brighter when playing the sport he had devoted his life to.

Looking into those same orbs now, Atobe realized that they were dimmer, darker…some of the eternal fire had gone out.

"…Echizen?" The boy simply looked back to the courts, where the players had started their game once again. Atobe sat beside him in silence, trying to unravel the mystery behind the cat-like eyes. Another three games and the match had ended. The two boys packed up and walked off, apparently they weren't from Seigaku, Atobe mused, or else they would have said something to the boy beside him. Said boy now had his head bowed, his long bangs shielding his eyes from the glare of the spotlights. Atobe was wondering what he could possibly do or say, when Ryoma broke the silence.

"I heard Buchou and Fuji-senpai talking today after practice." Atobe immediately focused all his attention on the younger boy. "…Buchou asked him out…Fuji-senpai said yes…" Atobe now felt really awkward. He had known that the brat loved – not liked, _loved_ – the Seigaku Captain, he was surprised no-one else had noticed. The total loyalty and devotion that the boy had to his Captain when he would barely tolerate his other senpai's was a dead give away. As was the way the boy's eyes would light up when his Captain entered the room, golden eyes trained on spiky brown hair and stern hazel eyes, half-hidden behind clear glasses

"Echizen…" He really didn't know what to say.

"It's okay, Atobe-san." He blinked. Had the brat actually said his name? "They…they look good together…they belong together…"

"Echizen…"

"It's okay," the boy repeated as he stood up. "Thank You for listening, Atobe-san." He began to walk towards the stairs that would lead him to the street. He stopped, but didn't turn around. "It would never have happened…to me, he was always untouchable…but I guess not everyone feels that way."

"Echizen…" still, the boy didn't turn around.

"To me, he will always be the same, forever untouchable."

--- --- --- --- --- ---

The eyes that stared so hungrily at the person were never noticed. Not by team-mates, family members, spectators, fans or opponents. And certainly not by the one he so desperately wished would turn around. Turn around and look back, eyes lighting up and mouth forming a smile sweeter than Midsummer's Day.

But those eyes sought another's presence, those lips smiled for another's words, that heart beat for another's life.

--- --- --- --- --- ---

Atobe rested his head in his hands, replaying Echizen's last words.

_"To me, he will always be the same, forever untouchable."_

To be the same, would mean that the boy would always feel the same. Tezuka would forever hold Echizen's heart, whether he knew it or not.

"Tezuka," he muttered quietly, "it seems that I jut can't win…why…why can't you see him? Echizen…why can't you see…me…"

--- --- --- --- --- ---

As Atobe Keigo loved only one person, Echizen Ryoma lived for only one person. Unfortunately for both their hearts, it was not each other.

* * *

Well…that was…odd…I had this idea of Tezuka being untouchable and Ryoma looking up to him, loving him…but never making a move. Atobe was supposed to tell Ryoma how he felt and Ryoma would tell him no…but it sort of turned out this way with Atobe taking centre stage…only God and my muses know how. (I've seriously got to talk to them one of these days…) Though I finally found a reason why it was odd! I had a Smirnoff (only one as opposed to last time's three) and I'm sure that miniscule bit of alcohol flipped a fragile balance somewhere in my brain because I DO NOT write TezuFuji or TezuRyo…I don't even write AtoRyo, but at least I read that pairing. Something I can't say for the Pillar Pair and Perfect Pair… 

(And yes, I know I have other fics…I'll get to them, I promise! …this is why I write only one-shots…not chapter fics…plus, my time is limited since I spend it on the bus now…contrary to belief, you _can't_ work during rush hour, especially if you're standing…)

Anyways… Please read and review!


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